Adjustable switch-rod.



. PATENTBD PEB. 27, 1906.

W. H. sco'rr. ADJUSTABLE SWITCH non.

APPLIGATION FILED DECLZB, 1905.

1622??'74". lf2/43.60% y 'e Y www/41M..

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H` SCOTT, OF MAPLEVVOOD, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO ELLIOT FROG & SWITCH COMPANY, OF EAST ST. LOUIS, ILLINOIS, A CORPO- RATION.

ADJUSTABLE SWITCH-ROD.

No. s1 3,920.

Specification of Letters Patent.

-Patented Feb. 27, 1908.

To all whom t may concern..-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. SCOTT, a citizen of the United States, residing in Maplewood, in the county of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Adjustable Switch- Rods, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to that class of adf justable switch-rods in which an eccentric is used for the purpose of securing adjustment of the rod relative to the switch-point railsecticns of a railwayswitch or adjustment of said switch-point rail-sections relative to the switch-rod.

Figure I is a cross-section of the main rails and switch-point rail-sections of a raiiwaytrack with my adjustable switch-rod shown connected to said switch-point rail-sections. Fig. II is an enlarged longitudinal section taken throu h one of the brackets connected to the switcoint rail-section, a portion ot' the switch-ro and the means for adjustably connecting these arts. Fig. III is` an inverted plan viewo the parts shown in Fig. II. Fig. IV is a fragmentary view of the switchrod. Fi V is a perspective view of the eccentric b ook that operates in the switch-rod. Fig. VI is asimilar view to Fig. II, illustrat ing a modification. Fig. VII is an inverted plan view of the bracket used in the modification shown in Fig. VI.

A designates the main rails of a railwaytrack, and B the switch-point rail-sections thait are adapted to be moved to said main rai 1 designates a switch-rod that is located, as usual, beneath the main track-rails for restriction in a direction transverse of the railway-track. This switchrod is provided with a circular opening 2.

3 designates brackets that are secured to the switch-point rail-sections B bv suitable means, such as bolts, and each ci which is provided with a U-shaped arm having an upper member 4 and a lower member 5, said members being spaced apart to permit of the introduction of the switch-rod between them. Either of the brackets 3 may be connected to the switch-rod by my adjustable connection,

to be hereinafter described, or both of them may be so connected. I will, however, 1n the subsequent description refer to the connection as applying to only one of the brackets:

In the adjustment device, as illustrated in Figs. I to III, the upper member 4 of the U- shaped arm is provided with a circular bolthole 4', while the lower member 5 of said arm is provided with a non-circular or polygonal bolt-hole 5. This last-named or non-circular bolt-hole is preferably of star shape in outline for the purpose of providing for a greater degree of adjustment of the bolt which fits therein and which will be here1n' after mentioned and to provide at the same time shar er angular seats in which said bolt ts to be iield from rotation.

6 designates an eccentric block (see Figs. II and V) which is adapted to seat in the opening 2 in the switch-rod l and which 1s rendered of eccentric nature due to its belng provided with a boit-hole '7, oiiset from the axis of the block. Said bolt-hole is non-circular, being preferably square.

8 designates a bolt that is adapted to pass through the members 4 and 5 o the arm 1n the bracket 3 and through the eccentric block 6, that occupies a position between said arms and in the switch-rod. The shank of this bolt is provided with a non-circular por tion 9, located adjacent to the head of the bolt and adapted to seat in a circular bothole 4 in the arm member 4, a polygonal portion 10, adapted to seat in the non-circular boit-hole 7 in the eccentric block 6, and the non-circular openin 5 in the lower bracketarm member 5. T ie shank of the bolt terminates in a threaded portion 11, which reccives a nut 12, that is adapted to bear against the bracket-arm member 5. I/Vhen the bolt 8 is introduced into the bracketarm members, it is passed rst through the circular bolt-hole 4 in the bracket-arm member 4 and its polygonal portion 10, thon passes throu h the poly onal opening 7 in the eccentric b ook 6, an finally into the polygonal bolt-hole 5 in the bracket-arm member 5, 1n which the bolt when seated is revented from turning, due to the non-circo ar formation of the bolt shank portion 10 and said bolt-hole 5. As a conse uence of the bolt being held from rotation 't e eccentric block 6 ICO is held in a fixed position within the aperture 2 ofthe switch-rod, and therefore the switchrod is held from play relative to the bracket g3, attached to its rail oint-section. When 1t 1s desired to adjust t 1e switch-rod, the nut 12 on the bolt 8 is removed or artially removed to permit of the partial wlthdrawal of said bolt in order that its polygonal shank portion may be withdrawn from the pol eccentric block 6 are of the same form as that previously described. In this construction the bracket 3a has the upper and lower arm members 4a and 5a. Instead of producmg a circular bolt-hole in the up )er arm member and a non-circular bolt-hole in the lower arm member I reverse the locations of these bolt-holes7 thus providing the circular bolt-hole 5b in the lower arm member and the non-circular bolt-hole 4b in the upper member. By so doing I provide for the introduction of the bolt 8 in an upward direction first through the lower bracket-arm member, then through the eccentric block, and lastly through the up er bracket-arm member. As a conse uence tlie noncircular shank portion 101 of t e bolt 8 is held from rotation by the upper arm member as distinguished from its being held by the lower arm member.

I claim as my invention- 1. In an adjustable switch-rod, the combination of a rod, an eccentric rotatably fitted in said rod, a bracket in which said rod is seated, and in a part of which is provided a non-circular bolthole, and a bolt passing through said bracket and having a non-circular shank portion seating in said non-circular bolt-hole, substantially as set forth.

2. In an adjustable switch-rod, the combination of a rod, an eccentric rotatably fitted in said rod, a bracket in which said rod is seated7 and in a part of which is provided a star-shaped bolt-hole, and a bolt passing through said bracket and having a non-circular shank portion seating in said star-shaped bolt-hole; said star-shaped bolt-hole having a number of seats in multiple of the corners of the shank portion of said bolt, substantially as set forth.

3. In an adjustable switch-rod7 the combination of a rod, an eccentric rotatably seated in said rod and provided with a non-circular bolt-hole, a bracket having a pair of arm members between which said rod is seated.7 and a bolt passing through said bracket-arm members, and having a non-circular shank portion; one of said bracketearm members being provided with a circular bolt-hole and the other of said bracket-arm members being provided with a non-circular bolt-hole the atter of which is adapted to receive thc noncircular shank portion of said bolt, substantially as set forth.

BLANCHE HOGAN, H. G. COOK. 

